Internally displaced persons living in the Lubenska community in Poltavska Oblast can now receive financial assistance for medical treatment and firewood to heat their homes. This decision was made by local authorities thanks to the initiative of the IDP Council under the Lubny City Council.
Effective cooperation and communication are the keys to making important decisions. Thanks to the dedicated work of the IDP Council and the support of the regional team of the Charitable Organization “Stabilization Support Services” (hereinafter referred to as the CO SSS) in Poltavska Oblast, crucial amendments were made to the Comprehensive Social Protection Program for 2025–2027. Now, IDPs in the Lubenska community can receive financial assistance for treatment and firewood for heating. Learn more about how these changes were implemented in our article.
A significant portion of IDPs in the community live in rural areas, where access to firewood is especially critical.
“As the head of the IDP Council, I regularly hold personal consultations, communicate with people, and participate in meetings. So I understand well what concerns displaced women and men. The Lubenska community is large and includes more than 20 starosta districts. Many IDPs live in rural areas. Therefore, the provision of firewood is vital support for them. Among our initiatives supported by local authorities is also one-time financial assistance for illness,” says Nataliia Bublichenko, head of the IDP Council under the Lubny City Council.
From Monitoring to Program Changes
Submitting proposals during the development of local programs is one of the key areas of work for IDP Councils. To enhance the capacity of the Councils in this and other areas related to their activities, regional teams of the CO SSS regularly provide professional coordination and mentoring support. These efforts are part of the Support to the Capacity of Government Institutions and Local Communities to Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Ukraine project, implemented with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
“Our regional team, together with members of the IDP Council under the Lubny City Council, conducted a monitoring of local programs in 2024. We identified areas for improvement to strengthen social protection for IDPs and developed proposals. As a result of this work, changes were introduced to the Comprehensive Social Protection Program for 2025–2027. This ensured greater accuracy and fairness in the distribution of aid and serves as an example of the Council’s effective involvement in addressing the real needs of IDPs in the community,” emphasizes Oksana Luhova, regional coordinator of the project in Poltavska Oblast.
Previously, the program did not specifically identify IDPs as recipients of aid, using instead the term “citizens of the territorial community.” The Council proposed changes to clarify and specify the categories of aid recipients, including IDPs. Thanks to the Council’s initiative and active involvement, these proposals were taken into account.
How Can IDPs Receive Assistance?
In 2025, nine displaced persons from the Lubenska community applied for one-time financial assistance, and four submitted requests for firewood. This data was provided by Larysa Borshch, Deputy Head and Head of the Department of Social Assistance and Compensation of the Department of Social Protection of the Executive Committee of the Lubny City Council.
“To receive firewood, displaced persons must apply to the Administrative Services Center (ASC). This assistance can be used once a year and includes 3 cubic meters of firewood free of charge,” explains Larysa Borshch.
List of documents that IDPs must submit to the ASC to receive assistance:
- Firewood for Heating:
– Passport
– RNOKPP (tax identification number)
– Income statement for all family members
– IDP registration certificate
– Inspection report confirming lack of gas heating (provided by a street or building committee) - One-Time Financial Assistance (for costly or prolonged medical treatment):
– Passport
– RNOKPP (tax identification number)
– Income statement for all family members
– Medical certificate confirming illness
– IDP registration certificate
– Bank details for transferring funds
Support in Action: Stories from Those Who Received Assistance
Thanks to the active efforts of the IDP Council under the Lubny City Council, help reaches those who truly need it.
“I had a nice two-room apartment in Kharkiv, and now I live in an annex with a wood stove. But it’s quiet and peaceful here. Plus, the homeowners don’t charge me rent. And this year, I received firewood. It was perfect timing,” shares Larysa Huryeva, a displaced woman from Kharkiv now living in Lubny.
Previously, she was unable to receive assistance, but the situation changed after program amendments.
“I had repeatedly asked the city council for firewood. Then, I learned from representatives of a charitable organization that this opportunity became available this year. I wrote an application and submitted the required documents. Later, I received a call informing me that the firewood would be delivered. The property owner where I now live chopped and stacked it for me. I couldn’t have done it myself due to vision problems and the high costs of my treatment,” she adds.
Oleksandr, who relocated from Crimea after the occupation, also benefited from the new opportunity:
“I went to the ASC and inquired about assistance. They told me that a new program would launch after the New Year and that firewood would be provided. And that’s exactly what happened — the firewood lasted until it got warm.”
These stories are the result of the consistent advocacy work of the IDP Council under the Lubny City Council. It was the Council that initiated the discussion on firewood provision and support for IDPs with serious illnesses, and proposed changes to the local program. The regional team of the CO SSS in Poltavska Oblast provided expert support and helped shape the proposals that were approved by local authorities.
This publication was made with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine. The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the Charitable Organization “Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.